Father, son both bowl a perfect 300 game on the same day

The odds of bowling a 300 game vary depending on the ability of the bowler.

With 43 perfect games between them, Joe Buffa and his son, John, certainly are a better bet than most to accomplish the feat.

But when the father-and-son duo turned the trick recently on the same night at the same house, the probability meter soared off the charts.

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"It was a special night," father Joe said.

For Joe, 59, and John, 27, bowling is large part of their lives. Joe began as a child more than half a century ago, and ran in some pretty fast bowling circles as a member of all-star leagues in Detroit, including the famous Stroh's team.

So it was only natural he'd introduce his son to the game.

"He taught me a lot about the basic fundamentals," John said.

As John developed his talent, a natural rivalry grew between father and son.

"A friendly competition," dad called it.

Joe, who carries about a 220 average, has 23 perfect games to his credit. John averages about the same and his 300-game tally stands at 20.

But never did the two men climb the same mountain on the same night.

Until Jan. 26 at Total Sports in Mount Clemens.

John was first. During the second of his three-game series, he fired 12 straight strikes for his perfect game while Joe and mom, Debbie, watched from about four lanes away.

"My wife and I were keeping an eye on him," Joe said. "We really didn't want to go down there."

After John completed his feat, and after the requisite congratulations all around, Joe settled in for Game 3 of his series.

"Never in my wildest dreams" did Joe entertain the thought of joining John. At least, not at first.

"As the strikes piled up, I definitely started thinking about it," he said.

Like his father did moments earlier, John kept tabs from a distance.

"I peeked down there a little bit," he said.

When the time came for Joe to take his final shot, he followed his custom and uttered a brief prayer. But unlike those 22 other times, this time Joe asked specifically for divine intervention.